On The Wrong Foot
by mcrenee
Summary: Modern AU. This is just an idea I had for what a young Matthew and Mary relationship could have started like in university. Would love to hear some feedback. Chapter 18 now up:)
1. Chapter 1

On the Wrong Foot

This is my first fic ever. I have never shared a piece of my writing before so this is probably really rough. Please be kind.

I do not own these characters.

* * *

Mary arrived in Cambridge on a Saturday all by herself. Mary's parents did not approve of her going off to university and living away from home. She wanted a real university experience and that meant leaving her title behind and moving into a small dorm room on the university campus. As she approached Kings College she was immediately overcome with nerves. She watched as dozens of students and their parents running about trying to get situated. Mary really did miss her family at this moment, but she knew she had to become more independent and do this. Mary did not know anyone else going Cambridge and was scared of having a roommate.

She stepped off the elevator on the fifth floor and wandered down to room 525. The room was on the right side and the door was already open, which was a surprise. She prepared to meet her roommate, hoping she was just as nervous and excited as she was. Mary saw an older woman folding pieces of clothing and packing them away into drawers. As the woman peered up at her a smile crossed her face and stood up immediately. She walked over to Mary introducing herself,

"Hello, my name is Isobel Crawley and this is my son Matthew Crawley. Do you live on this floor?"

Turning around from the closet a young man with tousled blonde hair stood looking quite stunned. He was handsome although Mary did not think he was her type. She wasn't sure what was wrong and why he just continued to stand there completely silent.

"Umm…actually I do, in fact this is my room. Is your daughter perhaps around somewhere, she must be my roommate".

Matthew continued to remain silent but eventually spoke up on the issue. "No, I do not have a sister this is _my _room, you must be mistaken!"

Mary replied, "No, no, _you_ must be mistaken…it even says it here!" She provided him with the email from the residence office she received in the summer. Matthew began to scan the document looking to find an error in the document, but found that there were no mistakes. Both of them had been placed in room 525. Isobel spoke up before Matthew had a chance to reply.

"I'm sorry but we never got your name."

"I'm Mary Crawley."

Finally able to speak up he said, "Well that must be it, we have the same last name. It's not exactly a very common one. They must go alphabetically".

Mary retorted, "Yes, that very well may be, but that doesn't explain why you a boy, and myself a girl have been paired together in a room. It is not proper at all!"

Isobel offered. "Well how about I go downstairs to the residence office right now and get this all sorted out".

* * *

Mary and Matthew were left alone while Isobel went to sort out the problem. Matthew just continued to unpacking his clothes and completely ignored Mary. He was not really sure why he was being so stand-offish but something just came over him. He still could not ignore that Mary was gorgeous and had long dark curls that hung to the middle of her back. She had the loveliest fair skin and just thinking about getting a closer feel made hum blush. As much as he was taken aback by her beauty, she seemed a little rude. The whole room switch-up was not his fault, yet she seemed to be so aggravated with him.

Mary was the first to speak, "don't you think you should wait to unpack, I mean this is _my_ room".

"Excuse me? I was here first Miss-I-Think-I-Own-The-Place!"

"That is Lady Mary to you…"

Mary regretted saying this immediately. She did not want people to see her is an aristocratic snob even though she was quite acting like it at the moment. Before he had a chance to reply she spoke up.

"Look I am really sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. This whole moving in process has been anything but easy and I'm just really stressed out and anxious

Unfortunately Matthew was too annoyed at this point just to let it all go. But he also did not want to continue fighting either so he just said, "Whatever you say, Lady Mary."

Mary turned to sit on the other bed since nothing could be resolved until Isobel returned.

* * *

Isobel eventually walked in to the room looking a little worried, which made Mary feel a little anxious herself. "So, I have some bad news…unfortunately every other room in the building is assigned and filled and there is nowhere to switch either of you."

Matthew jumped in, "What are you trying to say mother?"

"It looks as though you two are going to have to be roommates until further notice. Unless someone decides to drop out there is nowhere else for either of you to go."

"Just great," Mary thought. As if things couldn't get any worse- they did.

"Of course it is completely unorthodox, but why don't we try to make the best of a bad situation", Isobel suggested.

Both Mary and Matthew replied with a groan. This situation would not have been easy if they had started on the right foot. Mary could tell this was going to be a very long school year.


	2. Chapter 2

On The Wrong Foot Ch.2

After Isobel said goodbye to her son, Matthew and Mary were finally left alone in their room. Matthew was finished packing but Mary was still quite unfinished. Mary's feelings were all over the place. One minute thinking about her family back home at Downton, then her horse Diamond and even her favourite member of the house staff, Carson. She wished that at least someone would have come with her to move her in, but her father forbid it.

Mary continued unpacking while Matthew lay on his bed listening to music with his earphones plugged in attempting to prevent conversation. She starting putting pictures of her family and friends from back home and a few posters of bands she liked. As uncomfortable as the whole situation is, her side of the room was beginning to feel much homier and she began to relax as she put up the last thumb tack. Falling back onto her stiff bed she let out a sigh and closed her eyes.

Before long Mary realized that she and Matthew would need to settle some ground rules if they were ever going to make this work. She sat up turning towards Matthew and realized he had his eyes closed. For a moment she scanned his face and looked at his handsome features. He had clear skin, and even though they were closed now she could remember his bright blue eyes. Had she ever seen such blue eyes? No, she concluded. She could also see a bit of stubble coming through even though he likely shaved in the morning. As she moved down his body she observed that he was quite fit. Not, offensively fit, just a good muscular build for his shape. She figured he must be at least six feet tall as he had quite a long body. Just before Mary was about to continue analyzing him, he opened his eyes and jumped a little. He was not expecting her to be just staring at him while he was resting on his bed.

"Ugh…hi. Can I ask why you are staring at me."

Feeling a little flustered she replied, "Oh, I'm sorry I wasn't meaning to! Just off in a bit of a daze."

"Right, well how about we make some rules for living together."

"I was just going to suggest the same thing. Do you have any requests to make first?"

"Hmm, well how about we implement the sock on the door knob rule. You know in case…uhh…we decide to bring someone home, wouldn't want any awkwardness with that."

"Really, that's the first thing you are worried about? Making sure that you have a clear room to bring girls back to?" Mary could not help but feel a little jealous at his request.

"Well, I don't know, it's just kind of customary to do…"

"Okay, whatever that is fine with me I guess. I think we should keep an appropriate level of cleanliness in case either of us wants to have people over. I don't want your socks smelling up the whole room and run all my friends away."

"First, my socks don't stink. Second, who are these friends you speak of?"

"That is neither here nor there. But it is a rule nonetheless."

For the next few minutes Matthew and Mary continued to make a series of rules for what would allow them to live together with as much peace as possible. Neither of them thought to ask what the other was studying yet, almost afraid to ask. Finding that the conversation was thinning out, Matthew asked what her major was anyways.

"Well I want to go into Law one day, but for now I am studying English. What about you?"

"English."

"Hm…what a coincidence huh? We would have more in common than you think." Not that Mary necessarily wished to share many traits with him, but it may help in the future to know someone in her program already.

Unfortunately Matthew was still a little offended by her snobbishness earlier. He also conceded that she was trying not to be since she apologized. Matthew was still fighting to get out of the room which seemed to get smaller and smaller by the minute. Sharing a room would be difficult to do, especially now with a girl for a roommate. Suddenly there was a knock on the door interrupting their conversation. Mary was the one to go answer the door and when she opened it a small, blonde girl appeared.

"Hello?"

"Hi there, my name is Anna and I am going to be your RA for the year! I just wanted to welcome both of you to the building and the school. We are going to have such an awesome year together." Before too long, Anna noticed something different about this room.

Anna added, "I'm sorry but you two aren't rooming together are you?"

Matthew interjected, "Unfortunately yes we are. Believe us when we say it was not by choice."

"Well that certainly is a first for me as an RA. Usually things don't get this messed up. I'm really sorry about this!"

Mary liked Anna already. She seemed to be genuinely nice; which was a rarity in her social circle.

"Well, just so you guys know there is going to be a party on the sixth floor tonight and everyone is invited so you should both come out and get to meet some of the others!"

"Yes, that sounds lovely, I can't wait," said Mary.

"Well, I'm going to go around to the other floors now, see you guys there!"

Mary shut the door after Anna left and returned to sit on her bed.

"Anna seems very nice don't you think?"

Matthew agreed, "Yes she is."

"So, do you think you're going to go to the party?"

"Oh I don't know…"

"Come on…we could go together if you'd like?"

As much as Matthew wasn't thrilled to accompany Mary to the party, he did want to go. "Yeah I guess that would be fine."

"Great, so it's all settled!"

Mary was excited for her first university party, even if that meant going with Matthew. Plus it is not like she has to stay with him the whole time right?


	3. Chapter 3

_I have been having a bit of a hard time trying to decide where to go with this story so, hopefully this is not too bad. Hope you guys enjoy it, and once again reviews are lovely!_

_I do not own these characters._

* * *

Mary decided it was finally time to go upstairs to the party since it was already ten o'clock. She did not want them to be the first to arrive at the party in hope to show up once it was already in full swing. Mary decided on a somewhat casual outfit, trying not to overdo it. She wore dark wash skinny jeans with a red top and black blazer.

Matthew decided to keep his attire quite simple as well with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with the name of some band Mary did not recognize. Matthew was finally able to move past the awkward afternoon he had been faced with and to get used to the fact that for some period of time he would be sharing his room with Mary. He had to admit she really was not as bad as she first appeared to be. He did not know much about her, or her him. Matthew thought Mary was quite beautiful, but after her revelation of being a "Lady" he had no confidence that she would ever consider him to be suitable for a woman of her status.

Before leaving Matthew tried to inquire a bit more about Lady Mary and what her life back home was like. "So, you must live quite an interesting life being the daughter of an earl. I'm surprised you are interested at all in attending a regular university with us mortals."

"Well, you see women like me don't have a life. We choose clothes and pay calls and work for charity and do the season. But really we are stuck in a waiting room until we marry. So, I chose to leave that way of life behind me and try to pursue a more common lifestyle and education."

"Hmm, I guess I never thought of it being that way. So your parents don't approve of you coming here?"

"No, not one bit. Fortunately, they are still financing my education since I cannot officially receive my inheritance until I am twenty."

"Lady Mary I think it is great what you are doing, coming here on your own and everything I mean."

"Please, call me Mary."

"You told me to refer to you as Lady Mary before though."

"You should learn to forget what I say. I know I do. Why don't we head up though?"

"Okay."

* * *

Even though it was only a floor above them, they took the elevator up to the sixth floor. Neither were sure what to expect. They assumed it would look pretty much the same as their own floor did, but it was their first university party and they were a little nervous. The elevator doors opened and luckily quite a few people had already arrived and had started drinking. No one ever wants to be the first to arrive at a party. Neither Mary nor Matthew had thought to buy alcohol; so they would have to rely on what other people would offer them. Mary was able to seek Anna out in a group of people inside the common room. She greeted them with the same enthusiasm as she had earlier in the night and offered them both a beer from the keg. Anna began to introduce them to the people she had just been speaking to beforehand.

"Okay, so this is John, but we just call him Bates and he is an RA on the third floor. And this is Daisy and William they both live on the fifth floor with you guys and finally this is Kemal, a foreign exchange student from Turkey. He also lives on the fifth floor. And everyone this is Mary and Matthew!"

Everyone in the group added in their own little 'hello', 'nice to meet you', and even a couple handshakes from the guys.

Mary was thankful for the drink in her hand as it was beginning to calm some of her nerves. She was not used to being introduced to a group of people without people already knowing who she was or feeling she had the upper hand. She and Matthew continued to have a conversation at one end of the room as more people began to arrive. Mary could see that Kemal was approaching and was able to appreciate his beauty a little better during this second encounter.

Kemal began talking first, "so how do you guys like it here so far?"

"Well it has been a bit a rocky start, but I think it is starting to get better", said Matthew as he smiled at Mary. "Your English is quite good coming all the way from Turkey"

"Yes, well it was quite important to my family that I learned English so I've been speaking it for years… Anyways, are you guys a couple or something?"

Simultaneously, they both responded with, "No, no, no."

Mary continued, "Actually, we just met this morning and had quite an awkward situation of becoming roommates somehow." Mary smiled at Kemal thinking she had never seen anyone from Turkey as handsome as he was or anyone from that part of the world for the matter. Since Kemal learned that Mary and Matthew were not together he began to openly flirt with her in front of Matthew. This made Matthew a little uncomfortable and jealous. He realized Mary was flirting in return with him and that made him feel even more jealous. Who was this guy, to just come up randomly and be able to sweep her away so quick. He and Mary had barely had a civil conversation.

"I'm just going to head to the washroom guys", said Matthew.

Matthew left, but Mary and Kemal had made no notice of it continued their conversation on what Turkey was like. He decided to not directly return from the washroom to their conversation and grabbed another beer for himself and Mary. But by the time Matthew headed over to return with a couple fresh beers he could not find Mary or Kemal anywhere. He was a little confused having seen them just thirty seconds before.

Since he could not find them he tried his luck at introducing himself to a few other groups of people. Before too long Matthew realized he really did not have much interest in sticking around since Mary was not here anymore. He decided he would make it an early night after the day he had had. He returned to his room and was quite glad he did not see a sock on the door knob. He was not going to lie, he was a little worried Mary had gone back to their room with Kemal and who knows what they could have been up to upon his return.

Before Matthew opened the door with his key card he heard a noise from down the hall. For some reason Matthew felt compelled to check it out. As he got closer to the room where it was coming from he could hear it more clearly. It was most definitely a woman, and she seemed to be aggressively saying the word "no". Standing just outside the door he heard her say "Get off me…seriously…get off…no!" Matthew knocked on the door quite worried for the girl on the inside of the room, not quite sure what to expect. After a minute of silence and no answer he tried opening the door and luckily for him it was unlocked.


	4. Chapter 4

_So sorry for the delay! I have been ridiculously busy the last week. I do not even know how I am awake to write this right now, but I knew I wanted to get a chapter completed before I started studying for another exam and writing papers. Hope you guys like where I went with this. Also, there is a lot of dialogue for this chapter, sorry! I also think there will be some glaring grammatical errors, but I'm just so tired:(_

_Anyways, please let me know what you think and if you want me to continue!_

_xo_

* * *

'Oh god, oh god.' Matthew began to think. Rapid thoughts were crossing his mind. He did not know what he would find behind the door, but all previous sounds and his own intuition told him it was not good. Matthew swung the door open and was completely shocked by what he found. Without hesitation he stepped into the room end the sight before him.

In front of him he saw Kemal on top of Mary in his bed with his hand over her mouth to cover her protests. He could see several scratches on him, clearly from Mary. Her eyes were squeezed shut, attempting to block out the incident because she had been too weak to fight him off.

"Get the fuck off her now! What the fuck were you thinking, I'll kill you!"

With this statement Kemal jumped off Mary and attempted to cover himself up the best he could. Matthew went right into his face and continued to threaten him. Mary was able to quickly find her pants and put them back on again. She turned to Matthew and Kemal and called to Matthew, "please Matthew let's just go...Now!"

Matthew began to step away when Kemal spewed out, "Yeah get out of here, slut!"

Without any proper thinking Matthew turned back around and punched Kemal in the face and said, "If you ever…ever touch her again I will kill you!"

Kemal remained on the ground as Matthew and Mary left the room.

* * *

Mary awoke to Matthew next to her bed. With the events of the night before Mary was quick to fall asleep and attempt to erase it from her memory. Unfortunately, she woke up remembering everything. She remembered sneaking away from the party with Kemal and him bringing her to his room. It all began with a kiss, a simple, innocent kiss. Or so she thought at least. After the first kiss Kemal was quick to start removing her clothes which Mary was not comfortable with. She tried to get him to stop or to at least slow down, they had just met and she did not want to rush anything.

Kemal continued to remove her clothes despite her clear disapproval of the way things were heading. When he began to undo her pants she voiced that she did not want to continue whatsoever. She tried to pull away and leave, but that only frustrated him further. He pulled her back and pushed her forcefully onto the bed and she was finally able to see the threatening look on his face. Mary's mind continued to wander further to the worst part of what he did, but she could not. She stopped herself not wanting to relive it.

Eventually, Matthew propped his head up from his hunched position over her bed and she could see the worry in his face. Mary could not thank him enough. Thank him for being there, thank him for stopping it, thank him for punching him, and most of all thank him for comforting her the night before. He had saved her and she would always be grateful to him.

If Mary had thought Matthew was attractive in any form before, he was an angel to her now.

Finally Matthew began to speak.

"Mary, how...how are you doing? Are you okay? Is there anything I can get you?" They flew so quickly out of his mouth she did not know which one to answer first.

"I am fine Matthew, thank you. Seriously thank you so much, for all you did."

"Mary it was nothing, that bastard is going to pay for what he did! We should probably go to the police today."

"No, I am not going to the police. And that is final."

"But Mary, what he did to you it's not right; you can't let him get away with this monstrosity!"

"I can, and I will. Please understand I do not want anyone to know about this at all. I cannot deal with anyone else knowing. And there is something else you should know…he did not actually get his moment to…umm… you know…"

"Oh, thank god!"

"Yes, luckily for me he stepped in at just the right time because I can tell you it would not have taken him much longer to accomplish what he wanted."

"Mary, just because he did not…rape you, does not mean what he did is right. People should know! Do you want what happened to you to happen to another girl? There won't always be someone to save them you know."

"Okay, okay fine. I do not want to go to the police though. I will tell Anna what happened and no one else."

"Oh god, I am still so sorry. I should not have left you alone with him. I could have prevented all of this."

"Matthew this is not, I repeat not your fault! Please know how thankful I am, but seriously there is nothing you could have done."

Mary began to stand so Matthew began to as well. Matthew did was surprised by what happened next, but was not disappointed. Mary hugged Matthew, truly hugged him and lingered there for probably longer than she should have, but she found comfort in his arms.

When Mary hugged Matthew he felt whole. He did not know understand why he felt this way exactly, but now is not the time to question these feelings. When she pulled away he missed her touch already.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door which startled them both. Mary still a little afraid to face the real world she made Matthew answer the door. It was Anna who stood outside their door and she did not appear to look very happy, actually she looked like she had been crying because of the redness around her eyes.

"Hi, I am sorry to bother you guys, but something has happened. We are going to be having a floor meeting in about half an hour."

Matthew questioned her, "Why, what has happened?"

"It is a little hard to explain right now, but in short Kemal the exchange student, well he took advantage of one of the girls from the party last night, and he…well…he died right afterward."

Mary and Matthew just stared at one another.

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_Please review, it means so much and really does keep me going!:)_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hello everyone! I wasn't sure that I would get another chapter posted so soon, but this is the result of procrastination! I just wanted to get into both their heads for this chapter and I'm just making up the story as I go along. Hopefully you guys are still enjoying and as always would love to hear what you guys think!_  
_-xo_

_I do not own these characters_

* * *

After Mary and Matthew found out what happened to Kemal they decided it would be in Mary's best interest to not share what happened to her with anyone else. Although Mary was not with him at the time of his death she did not want any of the investigation of his death to do with her. Mary did feel guilty for the first couple days because if she had told someone right away she could have saved another girl from being one of Kemal's victims. She attempted to push these feelings aside and try to move on as best she could.

Mary was about to start her first year of university and had enough to deal with already and did not want to include the fact that someone has already tried to sexually assault her within her first twenty-four hours of being at school. Mary was quite grateful for Matthew though. He was always offering to help her in any way he could and suggested that any night classes she had he would walk her to and from class. Mary had expected to start university off by making a ton of friends and going to social events around campus but after that one Saturday night she just could not motivate herself to go.

Mary was not sure if she would always feel like this, like she could not trust anyone else, but she kept herself locked away from everyone except Matthew. Matthew was the Perseus to her Andromeda saving her from the sea monster at just the right moment. She was actually beginning to hope that they would not find another room for one of them to move into so that they could remain roommates, but she realized it would have to happen eventually. She would make sure she cherished the time she got to spend with Matthew and make him aware of how grateful she was for his friendship. They may have started on the wrong foot, but believed that none of that mattered anymore at least not to her. She hoped Matthew felt the same way about their friendship and wondered if he thought of her as more than that. She was certainly starting develop some kind of feeling for Matthew, but it scared her to open up to him about it. What if he did not reciprocate the feelings and rejected her? Or worse, what if he did feel the same way, but their friendship gets ruined by adding romance to the mixture? Yes, Mary definitely felt something for Matthew but she knew it was best to wait it out.

* * *

Matthew had never experienced anything like this before. He had never known a woman who had to deal with being sexually assaulted. He was not sure of what exactly to do, but he just did what he thought was right and what was best for Mary. He always made sure that she was feeling okay and that she felt safe if they left to get food. He was scared that he was starting to come off as a little over protective now but he felt that was he had to do for her.

When Matthew and Mary attended the floor meeting which discussed the events of Kemal and another student he watched Mary and her reactions. Would it be too emotional for Mary to be hearing about what had happened or would she feel guilty about not being able to prevent it? Although, he did not think she was to blame at all, he understood if she felt that way. He still partially blamed himself for not keeping a better eye on them at the party. He could have prevented the whole event from happening or reported him to the police to protect that final victim. As much as these thoughts corrupted his mind he had to be strong for Mary. He had to make he held himself together or how would he be able to care for Mary?

Matthew thought it was his duty to Mary and care for her, but it was becoming more than that. He was slowly learning more about her and he really enjoyed her personality. When he first met her he thought she was just another spoiled rich girl who did not offer much intellectually. But she did and it amazed him. They had read many of the same authors and shared their opinion on their favourite pieces. On top of that he actually found her to be a lovely person. He did not understand how much perfection could be in one person. Brains, beauty, and personality. He remembered their first meeting and how they could not have started off more on the wrong foot than they did, but here they were acting like they had been friends for years.

It made Matthew sad that something so despicable had to happen to bring the two of them together like this, but he was still thankful to be getting to know her now. He began to wonder if Mary felt the same way he did or was she just sticking around him because she could not trust anyone else here. Did she still think of him as the boy she had first met that Saturday afternoon? And he tried not to think about it, at least so soon after what happened to her, but did she think of him the way he thought about her? Did she see him as more than a friend? He could not believe she could feel for him that way. He was just a middle class kid from Manchester with nothing offer Mary that a thousand other men could give her. Why would she want him? As much as he wanted to know if there was even a possibility of her feeling anything for him it scared him. Matthew did not want to be rejected and then have to live with her afterwards. He wanted to make sure that no matter what they would remain friends. Matthew was ready to sacrifice his feelings for Mary to be a good friend and that maybe in time things would become clear to them. He would show her that what he lacked in wealth or social class he would make up for in his ability to devote himself to her.

* * *

All right, what's going to happen next? Who knows!

Please review:)


	6. Chapter 6

_Sorry for the delay! I have been so busy with school, I was lucky to post this chapter. It's a little shorter than I would like, but at least I posted something! I expect quite a few grammatical errors once again and I apologize! Hopefully you guys still like it and you want to continue reading. Let me know what you guys think and if you have any opinions on what should happen next!_

_Thanks_

_-xo_

* * *

It was the beginning of October and a month of school had already passed by. Mary and Matthew were still living together, but neither of them could complain at this point. They had certain schedules worked out for bathroom times in the morning, and certain rules when it came to staying up later so that they would not disturb the other. To be honest though, they had pretty much the same schedule and if they were staying up it was to study and they did that together anyways.

Matthew had been having some difficulty in one of his classes, which luckily Mary was exceling in. Mary offered to help him in return for all he had done for her since the Pamuk incident. Mary knew that even if Matthew had not been as helpful as he had been she would have helped him if it meant spending more time with him.

"You're not being analytical enough - you're just describing what happened in the article!" Matthew stated.

"Well, I don't get it. I don't know _**how **_to be more analytical."

"For one thing, you could state your own opinion; state how the author was right or wrong. Just be critical of their work, don't just accept everything they say; question it."

"Ugh…I'm just so tired of this already. Can we take a break? Pretty please!" Mary batted her eyelashes at Matthew for emphasis and attempt break his strict study rules.

"Okay fine, but only for ten minutes…"

"Thank you, you're the best!"

Matthew and Mary got up from their table at the library and made their way to the cafeteria to grab a snack. While waiting in line a red headed girl came up to them. Matthew turned around to greet her.

"Hey Matthew, what's up?"

"Nothing much, I guess. Just grabbing a snack."

"Right, makes sense. I just wanted to see if you were interested in maybe seeing a movie this weekend?" She smiled at him largely, clearly flirting with him.

"Umm, I'm not sure if this weekend will work!"

"Okay no problem. Here take my number and just text me if you want to get together at all." She made another clear attempt to flirt with Matthew as she continued to ignore Mary's presence. She handed Matthew a piece of paper which presumably had her number written on it.

"Okay well see you around Lavinia."

Mary was definitely feeling jealous about the interaction between Matthew and this Lavinia. He had never mentioned anyone named Lavinia before. Although Mary did not have any real claim on Matthew, she still felt territorial over him. She knew had no right, yet she still could not help feeling this way. They continued to get checked out at the register and made their way back to the library mostly in silence.

They sat back down at their table in the library where there was a sign clearly stating no food allowed, but they chose to hide it and continue eating anyways. Mary was finally feeling ready to learn a little bit more about whoever Lavinia was, and especially what she meant to Matthew.

"So, Lavinia?"

"Yeah she is just a friend from my political science class."

"Hmm, well I think she has quite the crush on you."

"No, I don't think so."

"Really Matthew, it is clear as day to everyone except apparently you!"

"Well, then she's barking up the wrong tree."

"You might want to make that clear to her. She might really like you."

Matthew was genuinely surprised to hear that Lavinia might like him. He thought Lavinia was pretty, but he just did not see her in that way. All the feelings he had for Mary had remained buried and hidden from Mary as much as possible, but he was detecting a bit of jealously regarding Lavinia He leaned in closer and said, "Well, that's something no one could ever accuse you of."

Mary was a little stunned that Matthew had so blatantly requested a response about her feelings for him, and especially since he had suspected she did not have any for him. Mary had been quite protective of her feelings towards other men, but she honestly thought Matthew must be blind if he thought she felt nothing for him.

"I wouldn't say that."

"I suggest you speak in a form of mockery. Shall I remind you of the way you spoke towards me the first time we met, because those words remain in my memory as fresh as the day they were spoken?"

"Oh Matthew, what have I always told you. You must pay no attention to the things I say."

Once she spoke those words she knew it was too late to pretend she felt otherwise.

Matthew could not believe what he was hearing, but was afraid to lose this moment. He leaned in closer to Mary's face and she continued to do the same. He finally pressed his lips firm against hers and he was lost in her.

Mary felt as though she had died and gone to heaven, but would that be so bad if it made her feel like this. She surrendered herself to him and allowed him further access to her mouth. It seemed as though they had been kissing for only a few seconds when they were interrupted by "Ahem" which was spoken by a fellow student in the library.

They quickly broke apart knowing what had just happened had irrevocably changed their relationship forever.

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_Please review:)_


	7. Chapter 7

_Well guys, I most definitely did not think I would be able to update so soon, but I took the opportunity as it arose. As always I apologize for my lack of writing skill, but I hope you guys like this chapter as it moves Matthew and Mary's relationship a little bit further! Please review, and add any comments or ideas you guys have for the story! Enjoy:)_

_-xo_

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They separated from each other and straightened themselves out to appear as if they were not guilty of anything inappropriate. It probably was not the best idea to admit their feelings for each other in a public place, especially a library. Neither of them had planned what had happened nor had they expected it.

There was a bit of awkwardness in the air as neither of them said anything, but Matthew finally managed to say something, "Err, did you want to uh…keep studying?"

"Really, Matthew that is all you can say after that?"

"I'm just not really sure what to say…it took me by surprise, the whole thing. What did you want me to say?"

"I don't know really I guess. But I feel like we should talk about it, no?"

"Yeah we should."

"Okay, well it is probably not the best idea to do it here, so let's go back to…uh…our room."

The walk back to their room was mostly silent since neither of them knew what to say. At one point while walking their hands brushed by each other, and both quickly pulled away a bit embarrassed by the touch.

The whole situation was so much more complicated than either of them had originally thought. While both had admitted to themselves that they had feelings for the other, they had no idea how to behave if anything were to happen between them.

It was becoming quite clear to both of them that this was not going to be any easy conversation and it could pretty much go one of two ways. Either it could go very awkwardly since they lived together. That was definitely going to be a problem. The other option is that they are both able to admit that they have feelings for each other.

Mary was still quite unsure about the whole thing. She never had a real boyfriend, mostly just had young bachelors thrown at her at social events. She was not sure if she was ready for this and then of course Kemal came to mind. What if all Matthew wanted was sex because she was not quite ready for that either. She had not slept with anyone before, not that she had much opportunity to, since she was always being carefully watched by her parents. Matthew really was quite sweet to her, so maybe it would not be that bad if she slept with him. People all the time sleep with people they have known for far less time than she knew Matthew. Of course there could be quite a few consequences to their actions if they did not take proper precaution. The last thing Mary wanted was to be pregnant while at school and she was not quite sure how she felt about abortion. Mary realized she was getting quite ahead of herself now. All they had done was kiss, and it was a somewhat chaste one. Mary really cared for Matthew and she would do just about anything not to lose him. So she prepared herself for the worst; that Matthew did not feel the same way about her, but they would have to continue living together.

Matthew was thinking similar feelings, but mostly that he could not believe Mary really liked him. Again, he just felt so inadequate to all the other people Mary could have. Even if she did like him, he did not want to hurt her in anyway. Maybe it was too soon after Kemal and she does not even want to think about seeing anyone at the moment. Matthew had only slept with one person in his life and it was a girlfriend in high school. She had broken his heart and left him for his best friend. Needless to say, Matthew had his own trust issues to worry about. He had been so lost and alone after the break up, that he knew he never wanted to feel that way again. He also knew that just because he was cheated on once does not mean it will happen again, but it is hard not to think about it.

Finally, they had arrived back in their room and they both sat on their own bed waiting for the other to speak first. Mary was the first to speak this time…

"Listen, Matthew what I said in the library… I…"

"Mary do you like me, or were you just being kind? Because we can put this behind us if that is what you want."

"What do_ you_ want though?"

"Mary I'm not going to lie to you. I quite like you I just do not want to make you feel uncomfortable if you do not feel the same way as I do."

"I do though."

Matthew got off his bed and stood right in front of Mary. "Really, Mary? Please do not play with me I could not bear it!"

"Really Matthew have you know faith in me at all?"

After Mary reassured Matthew that she really did like him he was overcome again both physically and emotionally. He leaned down to Mary and touched her lips with his. There was less urgency this time and they were able to take their time knowing that no one was watching them. Matthew began explore Mary's mouth with his tongue as she whimpered in response to magical feeling she felt inside. Mary pulled Matthew down to her so that they were both on her bed. He pressed his body against her making her quite aware of how he was feeling as well. He made a little groaning noise, overwhelmed by the feeling of having Mary's body pressed against his. "God Mary, you are so beautiful you have no idea do you?"

"Mmm…" was all Mary could say in response as they continued to explore each other. Matthew felt Mary tugging at his shirt so he took it off so save her the trouble. Their separation did not last long and it was followed by Matthew now pulling at Mary's shirt, slowly raising it higher and higher. Eventually Mary was able to break away long enough to pull her shirt off so that they were skin to skin. He continued to move to her neck and moved his way slowly further down. Neither of them had felt so wonderful and were quite aware of where this was heading.

Mary had not thought about Kemal since the walk home and was quite glad that he had not surfaced now. As Matthew began to move his hand lower past her belly button she began to feel quite anxious. Quickly the feeling of anxiousness turned to something more. Matthew was just about to start undoing the button on her jeans when she pushed him off her, sitting up as fast she could. He looked a little stunned by her action, but was quite sure he knew why she had pushed him away.

"I'm so sorry Matthew…"

"No, no Mary it's not your fault it's mine. I went too far, I should have known better."

"I just can't…I don't know." Mary was tearing up a little but, unable to hide her emotions.

"Really Mary it's okay, I understand. I would never want to make you feel uncomfortable. Please know how sorry I am." He returned Mary's shirt to her and also made sure that he put his own back on.

"Matthew, please know that I do want you, I just don't think I am ready to ugh…you know."

"I know it is no rush. Mary you mean so much to me and I do not want to lose you. We can go as slow as you'd like."

Mary was reassured that Matthew truly meant what he was saying. She really cared for Matthew too, and wanted to make sure that he realized that. Mary did not realize until now just how much the experience with Kemal had damaged her, but she hoped it would just take some time. Mary was still a little upset not realizing how overwhelmed she was by everything between them. Matthew tried to console her and went back over to her and held her. In his arms she felt safe, as though Matthew was her protector.

"Matthew?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think, for tonight you could just hold me?"

"Of course, Mary."

Mary and Matthew got under her covers as he held her from behind reassuring her that he would never hurt her and she was safe. They both fell asleep quite quickly, as they continued to hold each other.

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_Please review!:)_

_Let me know what you think_


	8. Chapter 8

_Hello, hello..._

_This is very short, but I plan on updating at least once this weekend so this is really just a teaser!_

_Please let me know what you think:) _

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Matthew and Mary were blissfully beginning their new found relationship. It was much easier than both of them thought it would be, which made them both very happy.

Mary had been quite right about Lavinia liking Matthew as she was quite persistent with her offers to hangout. She probably would have stopped as soon as Matthew said he was with Mary, but they were not quite ready to be public about it.

The last thing Mary needed was her parents to find out about Matthew. They would probably force her to leave school and lock her in her room.

Mary had always been told there was a certain standard of a man she would have to marry. This meant either wealthy or title, but preferably both. How had things not changed in this day and age?

Of course Mary was not ashamed of Matthew, but she did not want to ruin a good thing. For the first time she felt she could truly be herself and was able to trust someone.

Even living with Matthew and seeing him frequently in between classes she daydreamed about him. Him kissing her, touching her...and some other things which made her a little self conscious to think about at school.

They usually shared the same bed at night, but they had still not had sex. Of course they kissed and did other naughty things, but Mary would always freeze when it seemed the time to move forward.

Matthew was unbelievably patient though. He never pressured her and made sure that she knew that he liked her for her and not for sex. Of course this made her like him even more.

Mary began to think that she truly did love Matthew, but it scared her to think of that four-letter "L" word. It must be too soon, especially for Matthew to feel the same way as her.

Mary went home to her room that day and saw Matthew looking quite sad. She sat down next to him to inquire as to what the problem was.

"Oh, it's nothing"

"Matthew it is clearly not nothing. Please tell me!"

"Well you see I received a message from someone. It was quite random and unexpected. My err... Girlfriend from high school got in contact with me. She wanted to apologize and say that she wanted me back."


	9. Chapter 9

_Okay so another update! Hopefully I will have time for at least one more this weekend!_

_As always please let me know what you think:)_

_-xo_

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Mary was quite shocked by Matthew's revelation. Her heart immediately sunk expecting the worst.

"Mary, I never told you about our past. I never told you about her because what she did broke my heart and I did not want to remind myself about what happened." Mary went to join Matthew on his bed and put her hands in his. "Mary I want to tell you now, to explain everything to you."

Mary was ready to hear Matthew tell her what happened between him and his ex-girlfriend. "You see we started dating like most others do in high school and we were quite in love or so I thought. After dating for about a year and a half I walked in on her and my best friend having sex. We were all at a party and they claimed they were drunk and it did not mean anything. I could not forgive them though. I could never imagine doing anything like that to her regardless of my drinking. A couple months after we broke up she officially started seeing my best friend. I was so depressed at this time. I had lost the girl and my best friend. I thought I could never experience a worse pain. I knew in less than six months I would be going away to school so I focused all my attention on that and ignored her entirely. We never really had full closure because I did not allow her to. I thought when I came here I would not think of her again, but I did. When I first started to have feelings for you I constantly thought of her and what she did and it scared me. I was scared of sharing my heart again just to have it broken."

"Matthew, you really don't have to explain this all to me. She clearly meant a lot to you and you loved her. If you want to be with her I will not stop you." These words ripped Mary apart. She did not want to lose Matthew, but she did not want to stop him from going after what he wanted. Mary had never been cheated on and she had never been in love before Matthew so she could not understand Matthew's feelings for this girl. She wondered if Matthew cheated on her if she would be able to forgive him and she was not really sure. It upset Mary to think that that was another girl in his heart and she did not know where that left her. They had known each other for such little time.

"Mary! I am not taking her back! I'm sorry, I did not mean to make you think that I was leaving you. I just experienced quite a shock and I knew that I had to tell you about her." Mary smiled thankful that he was not breaking up with her. She should have known Matthew better than that. Matthew deserves better than someone who could have done that to him.

"Mary, I know it might be too soon to say this, but I love you. And I would not feel right telling you that without you knowing about my past and my insecurities. I have not been able to trust anyone until I met you. I honestly questioned if I would be able to trust anyone again. But I can happily say I do! I trust you Mary, I believe that you would never hurt me in such a way." He leaned into her and kissed her. Light at first but it grew more desperate in an attempt to show her he meant what he said.

"Matthew you have no idea how much you scared me. I thought you were breaking up with me. Just as soon as I knew that I loved you too!" She kissed him again to show him how much she loved him. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her back long and hard. At this moment nothing else mattered than the fact that they loved each other. He pressed her firmly to him and she could feel his obvious arousal. Mary put her hands around his neck and pulled him down on top of her.

Both of them knew now that that they could fully trust each other. He trusted her with his heart and Mary loved and trusted Matthew, and was finally ready to give herself fully to him.


	10. Chapter 10

So sorry for the delay! I've been crazy busy and wanted to get this out to you guys. I want to be able to give you a full length chapter this weekend so maybe tomorrow? Anyways, let me know what you guys are thinking!:)

-xo

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It had been about a month since Mary and Matthew had sex for the first time and Mary realized that she quite enjoyed. At first she was nervous that he would compare her to his last girlfriend, but he reassured her that he never thought of his ex when he was with nice thing about dating the person you live with is that you never have to worry about your roommate walking in on something...

Mary had plans to meet Anna at a cafe for some lunch before going out with Matthew later that night. Anna had to stop into another shop before grabbing a snack when Mary was reminded of something she forgot about. Mary passed by the aisle with feminine hygiene products and stopped dead in her tracks. She began to count the days since her last period and it was definitely late. Mary had been late before, but it was never a worry before.

Mary began to panic about the possibility that she could be pregnant. She did not even want to consider the fact that she might be, but now thoughts were rushing through her. What am I going to do? What is Matthew going to say? Oh my god, my parents are going to kill me!

Before Anna would be able to notice Mary's absence she quickly grabbed a pregnancy test of the shelf to end the worry one and for all. After cashing out she waited form Anna to meet her at the front of the store. They continued to have lunch at the cafe, but Mary could no longer enjoy herself. She was far too concerned about whether she could be pregnant and if she was, what was she going to do. Mary and Matthew had always used protection, but she was not on birth control. She had heard about a whole of bunch of reasons why the pill is not good, but of course none of that mattered anymore.

Luckily Anna was not able to hang out for long so Mary went back to her room as soon as possible. She knew Matthew would not be home yet so she took the test as soon as she got in. She had no idea how to mentally prepare herself for either case. Would it be so bad to be pregnant with Matthew's child? Of course it is, she thought. We are far too young for that kind of responsibility and she could not bare to think of how disappointed her parents would be. The test said it would take just a few minutes to display the results, but it felt like forever. Finally Mary had waited for enough time to pass to look at the results.

Positive.


	11. Chapter 11

_Okay so this one is very short too. I have about two weeks left of school and then I can properly dedicate some time to this story. I hope to really be able to improve my overall writing skills, so please bare with me! Thanks again for the encouragement it means a lot!_

_-xo_

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Matthew got back to their room at about five o'clock and was exhausted from class. The only thing he was looking forward to was that he would be spending the night with Mary. He got to their room and opened the door to find Mary sitting on her bed, hunched over. She had not noticed Matthew come in, so he tried to sneak up on her to surprise her.

"Boo!"

Mary turned around shocked to see Matthew so soon. She had not prepared herself for what she was going to tell him yet. When Matthew saw Mary's face he could tell that something was wrong. Her eyes were red and puffy, looking as if she had been crying earlier. He sat down next to her ready to comfort and inquire as to what was wrong. When tried to get close to Mary she jumped off the bed in an escape to get away from him.

How could she tell Matthew that only after a couple months of dating that she was pregnant. Mary stumbled to find her words, but that made Matthew only worry more as to what could be wrong. Had he done something wrong, was she mad at him, or did she just not want him to touch her right now?

"Mary, what is wrong?"

"I…I…I can't."

"Mary, you can tell me anything please. Please tell me what is wrong, I want to be able to help." Mary could not help but love Matthew more for being so caring, but this was not an easy thing to say.

"Matthew, something has happened…"

"What, is everyone all right? Please tell me, the suspense is killing me."

"I'm pregnant…"

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_Sorry again for the length, but I really do hope to make my future chapters much longer than these last two!_


	12. Chapter 12

_Hello again. I think I am going to try and update more frequently with shorter chapters rather than updating longer chapters more spaced out. Anyways hope you like the way I went with this!_

_-xo_

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Matthew was stunned, shocked, surprised, sick, and confused all at the same time.

Hadn't they used to protection every time? How is this happening right now. Matthew was having a difficult time processing what Mary had just told him.

Pregnant.

Matthew's first reaction was to run, run far away. It felt like his life was collapsing around him. Both of them sat on opposing beds not saying anything. It was dead silent and if a pin were to drop, it would definitely be heard.

Outside the building people continued on with their daily lives. Just passing all of their classes was the biggest concern to them. They could go out for drinks with their friends and lounge around all weekend if they wanted to. Matthew was quite sure that that was all over for him. He hadn't put much thought into becoming a father. Mostly, it was something he imagined happening a long tome from now. He imagined himself happily married and in love. The idea of being a father had always appealed to Matthew, but that was when it was supposed to be far ahead in the future. After finishing his degree and starting his career.

All of this felt too soon, and Mary felt the exact same way. Mary had never pictured herself as a homemaker wife who would stay at home with the kids while her husband went to work. She was far too independent and intelligent to not have her own career. It is not that Mary never thought of having children, it was just like Matthew, it was not supposed to happen this soon.

Matthew was finally able to look up and meet Mary's eyes. He loved her chocolate brown eyes. They usually made him melt instantly, but not this time. He had to focus on what he was going to say to Mary.

Mary was prepared for Matthew to leave as soon as she told him, so the longer he stayed, the more Mary believed he would not desert her. Not after it was the both of them that created this predicament and not just herself.

"Mary, I honestly don't know what to say. I am in complete shock. I have never to deal with anything like this before and honestly I've never been so scared in my entire life."

"Me too Matthew, me too. Do you think this is something I wanted or I'm happy about. Do you have any idea what my parents would to me if they were to find out?"

"Of course, I completely understand. Neither of us wanted something like this to happen, but either way, we have to deal with it now. Have you umm thought about your options?"

"I mean I know what my options are, but I have not really had enough time to process this to be able to make a proper decision, but there is one thing I am quite certain of.

"And what is that?"

"I cannot get an abortion Matthew. I would not feel right about it. I just can't. And Matthew I know this is a lot for you to take in right now, but you can be in the picture as much or as little as you'd like. I am not pressuring you to be involved in this. After all we have only known each other for a few months."

"Mary, I am not going to lie, this scares the crap out of me, but I never would…I never could leave you. Leave you both that is. If you want to have this baby I will be there, and if you want to give the baby up for adoption I will support you too. I will stand by when you need to tell your parents. I would do anything for you, and…our child."

Mary did not need to hear anything else after that. She knew that there were a lot of problems ahead of them, but knowing that Matthew would be there by her side, made her feel safe. She knew she could do this. It was not going to be easy, but she knew she had to do it.

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Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think:)


	13. Chapter 13

_I just wanted to say thank you to those who continue to review and comment it means a lot to see that people are interested in the story!_

_please review :)_

_-xo_

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The hardest part was over. Mary had told Matthew and it went much better than she suspected it would. She was especially glad that he did not pressure her to make a certain decision. They had started to discuss what they were going to do. Mary did not really discuss with Matthew why she would not consider an abortion an option for them. She did not have any strong religious attachment that made her against it or that she thought it was "wrong" altogether. She just knew that it was not right for herself and she was not someone from little financial means, and whether she chose adoption or to keep the baby, she just wanted to make sure that he/she would have a happy life.

Mary and Matthew decided that they would take at least a few days to make any decisions. They had to weigh their options carefully and make sure what would be best for them and their child. Mary imagined her parents would not be very supportive of giving a child up for adoption, but that they would be more concerned with being unmarried and having a child. Matthew's mother was a nurse and had middle class values than Mary's family, so it may not be such a disaster to her.

Matthew and Mary tried to go to class as if nothing had changed, but it was clear to their friends that something was going on. Anna constantly asked Mary if everything was all right and she always told her everything was fine. Matthew suggested to Mary that she go to the doctor to get any tests done that were needed and to know what kind of vitamins she would need to start taking. He offered to go with her, but she told him that it was not necessary.

She decided to go to a doctor off campus and was very nervous to disclose this kind of personal information with anyone. She was afraid that by going to the doctor that everything would become so much more real and that there was no going back. Hearing from the doctor would force Mary and Matthew to finally make a decision. While waiting for the doctor to be ready for Mary she looked up to see Matthew enter. She was surprised to see him since she had told him that he did not need to come with her. She was so happy to see him though.

"Matthew what are you doing here?"

"Mary we are in this together, I want to be there every step of the way."

A nurse came around the corner announcing, "Mary Levinson...the doctor is ready for you now."

"You ready for this?" Said Mary.

"No, but I will be."

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Thanks again!


	14. Chapter 14

_I expect there will be quite a few mistakes in here as usual. I'm going to be crazy busy with exams for the next week or so I'm not sure how many updates I'll be able to get to this week! Anyways, please let me know what you think:)_

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The doctor told Mary and Matthew that they would have to return for another appointment to hear the results of the blood test. They made an appointment for the following day to hear them and then they would make their decision.

While they sat in the waiting room Mary was fidgeting and unable to sit still. Even though she was already quite sure she was pregnant she was nervous to hear the results. Up until now she could have pretended as if the problem did not exist, but after the results are told there was no more ignoring it or making it little.

Matthew joined Mary at the appointment and if he was nervous to hear the results he sure did not show it. He had been nothing, but supportive since first finding out that Mary was probably pregnant.

The doctor invited them into his office and all three sat down to hear the results.

"So Miss. Levinson I have the results of the test that you requested and the test was positive, you are most definitely pregnant."

"Oh."

"Am I to assume that this is not exactly a planned pregnancy?"

"No not at all." She looked over at Matthew trying to gage was he was thinking.

"Now have you considered your options because you do have some..."

"Yes, I know what my options are and I am keeping the baby. I am not giving the child away..."

"Oh Mary, that makes me so happy! I didn't want to pressure you, but I am so glad you to decided to raise our child." He quickly pressed a kiss on her cheek to emphasize his enthusiasm. She smiled back in return, thankful that he still seemed to want to be in the picture.

Even though the decision to raise the child had been made, it still left a lot of things unanswered. How were they going to raise this baby together? Under what circumstances exactly did Matthew want to be involved?

The doctor told Mary what vitamins she would have to start taking to keep her and the baby healthy as well as some of the things that she would begin to see happen due to the pregnancy.

Since The decision was made to raise the child it meant that there was no longer a point in hiding it. It would be best to get everything straightened out as soon as possible. This mean that Mary would have to return to Downton to tell her parents. She knew her parents would be very angry and disappointed in her, but she also did not think they would leave her alone in this, at least financially.

Matthew decided that he would tell his mother after Mary told her parents as she was unlikely to react worse that Mary's parents would. This was not the way Matthew had expected to meet parents. She had already told him so many stories of how they treated Mary and still expected Mary to marry into an aristocratic family. Matthew was obviously not aristocratic and he would be meeting her parents as the father of their daughter's child. It was not expected that they would like Matthew even under the best circumstances.

They decided to head up to Downton on the Friday and took a train there. As they arrived at Downton they were greeted by Mary's whole family and a long line of staff. This was going to be a very long and difficult weekend, they were sure of it.


	15. Chapter 15

_Happy Sunday everyone! Hope everyone had a good weekend and were somewhat productive because I wasn't! Had to take a study break, so here is the result. I finally have an idea as to how the next bit of the story is going to play out so I hope you guys are still enjoying it and are along for a bit of a bumpy ride! Anyways comments are always welcome!:)_

_-xo_

_**A/N: I apologize for reposting this tonight but a reader pointed out that there were some glaring mistakes. My mistake for using my IPad(autocorrect) and not properly reviewing before submitting. Sorry for getting anyone's hopes up for a new chapter already! I really will try harder once school is out!**_

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"Hello Mama, hello Papa! It is so nice to see you two. This is Matthew Crawley my boyfriend."

"Ah yes, a pleasure I'm sure..." Lord Grantham looked over at Matthew not quite approving, but was thankful it was only a college boyfriend, nothing serious. Cora shook Matthew's hand eagerly, quite enthusiastic to meet her daughter's first boyfriend. She was skeptical at first, but was willing to put her prejudices aside and give him a chance. He was a Crawley after all.

Next Matthew was introduced to Mary's two younger sisters Edith and Sybil. Edith looked at him as if her were a piece of trash that had no reason to be with Mary. Not that Edith thought Mary deserved the best, but she certainly did not expect Mary to choose a man like Matthew. Sybil on the other hand was quite friendly and was able to make him relax a little. At least she did not seem to be as disapproving as some of the others were.

It was an odd situation to be in. Meeting a girlfriend's parents for the first time and in that same visit disclosing that she is also pregnant is never the best way to start a relationship. Matthew loved Mary though, and wanted to be there for her as much as he could.

One of the servants showed Matthew to his room where he would be staying for the duration of his stay. How odd it would be to not sleep in the same bed as Mary for the first time in a couple months. Perhaps he would attempt to change that after everyone was asleep. Although he did not want to get on the bad side of Mary's parents prematurely.

In the time Matthew was unpacking in his bedroom, Mary used this time to steal her mother away to catch up. Her mother asked the usual questions a mother might ask a child who returns home from school for this first time. Mary waited for the opportune time to tell her mother about the pregnancy. Her mother had been quite young when she was pregnant with Mary, but she of course had been married already and to a future earl.

Nothing about this confession was going to be easy so Mary took a deep breath and told her mother everything. All the way from Pamuk to her unplanned pregnancy. Of course her mother was shocked and upset. This was the last thing she had ever wanted for her daughter. She had such high expectations for her and mow everything stood in her way. This would change not only Mary's life, but the whole Crawley family.

In the end both Cora and Mary were in tears and even though Matthew had managed to keep Mary somewhat calm about the whole thing, she was suddenly overwhelmed with fear. Mary was quite surprised at her mother's reaction and that she took it as calmly as she did. They agreed that they would tell Lord Grantham together after dinner that night with Matthew present as well.

Cora reassured Mary that no matter what happened she would find a way to help her out, even if Lord Grantham refuses to.

Dinner passed somewhat quickly since Matthew was there. The whole family had questions about where he grew up, what his family was like, how his classes were going and more. He was the centre of conversation which helped Mary prepare for telling her father.

After Edith and Sybil excused themselves to return to their rooms for the night, Mary had accepted this was her last chance to run from everything. Run away from Downton and everything else. Of course Matthew would not allow that as his tightly held her hand in his. He gave Mary a nod assuring her that he was ready when she was.

To say that Lord Grantham was upset would be an understatement. None of them had ever seen someone's face go so red before. Cora had managed to settle him down before he got too out of control. If Lord Grantham liked Matthew at all before, that was gone now. He did not fully understand their situation and could not care less about their love for each other, for all he could see was a boy taking advantage of his daughter.

"So am I to assume you want me to take care of this child?" Said Lord Grantham.

"Of course not Papa, I mean of course if you were willing to help us out we would be very appreciative, but our main purpose for coming here was to tell you was not to take your money."

"Well good, because you're not getting any from me. Seriously Mary how could you be so stupid? You've gone and thrown everything away that we have worked so hard for! Everyone will be talking of this, and now there is no chance of setting up a marriage for you with anyone in society."

"Do you really think I care about that? If I did, I wouldn't have gone to school in the first place! I love Matthew, and as much as this was not planned for, I plan to love this child with every fibre of my body. They will be your first grandson or granddaughter. Now I think we have all said enough tonight, so maybe we should continue this conversation tomorrow when we have all had a chance to sleep on it. Goodnight Mama and Papa."

She turned around to Matthew and grabbed his hand as they began the to their bedrooms. After dropping Matthew off at his room she continued to her own. Before she reached her door she spotted Edith poking around the corner.

"Gone and got yourself all knocked up now did you sis? How sad...and here I thought you had just gotten fat"

"Edith go away, I have bigger things to worry about than your squabbling." Mary turned around and entered her room. All that was missing was Matthew.

After a separation of only a few minutes she had already begun to miss him and his warmth beside her. Who would make her feel safe at night and convince her that they could get through anything together? Her protector. Soon to be the protector of her child. Mary couldn't help but smile and begin to imagine Matthew as a father. These images are what finally allowed Mary to drift off into sleep.

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_Please let me know what you think:)_


	16. Chapter 16

_Sorry for taking so long to update. I had exams and I just could not find the time! As always please let me know what you think:)_

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Lord Grantham requested a private meeting with Matthew before Lady Cora and Lady Mary came down for breakfast. Matthew had brought his finest clothes for the visit knowing he would have to impress the family as much as possible. He put on a tie and jacket to look nice, but was also trying not to over do it.

Matthew was told to meet Lord Grantham in the library, but if it weren't for the butler Carson standing outside the door he never would have found it. Before entering he cleared his throat and took a deep breath. He was not sure exactly what Lord Grantham wanted to discuss in particular, but he figured it could not be good if it could not be discussed in front of Mary.

As he entered he saw Lord Grantham sitting at a wooden desk in the corner. When he heard Matthew approach he stood up to greet him and asked him to have a seat in one of the chairs.

"Mr. Crawley, I wanted to speak with you in private before any further conversation is to take place this afternoon. I think that there is a way that we can come to an understanding to resolve this matter."

"Yes sir, and what is that?"

"I want you to leave the picture. I want you to forget about my daughter and most definitely the child. I have always wanted what was best for my daughter and I believe that by you leaving I can attempt to fix matters as much as I can. Now, I will be generous," Lord Grantham reached into his jacket pocket and removed a cheque book.

Matthew was confused. Did Lord Grantham think that he could pay Matthew to leave Mary and his child? Mary had warned him about what her family was like, but he had never expected this. "Lord Grantham please, I will not accept your money as a payoff."

"Mr. Crawley I am sure there is a price that we can agree to. A degree at Cambridge, and maybe even a masters afterwards? That will not be cheap, and as far as I know you do not come from a wealthy family."

"Lord Grantham, you may be correct in assuming that I was not born into wealth. But I love your daughter and all that I care about is making her and our child happy."

"Then do this for her. Mary was raised a certain way and she will expect to be taken care of a certain way. Plus, when this news cannot be contained anymore it will be her name covered in the papers for getting pregnant out of wedlock, by the son of a middle class doctor."

"Sir, I mean no disrespect, but there is no amount of money that you could offer me to leave your daughter. I think I know your daughter a bit better than you think. I do not think she is as high maintenance as you think she is. I have seen a true kindness in her, and I do not think she would approve of you setting her up with another aristocrat just to save her reputation."

"Since you are unable to really think about what is best for Mary at the moment I will give you some time to consider my offer before our next conversation with Mary and Cora. I really do hope you think about it though. You could be doing Mary and yourself a huge favour."

"I honestly do not think any amount of time will sway of my decision, but I would like to see Mary before we all meet later." Matthew turned away from Lord Grantham about to head back upstairs to his room when Lord Grantham make one last remark, "Oh and Mr. Crawley I would appreciate it if you kept this between the two of us."

With that Matthew left knowing he to make a decision. He knew that he was not going to accept any offer, but he had to decide if he was going to tell Mary about her father's proposal.


	17. Chapter 17

_So sorry again for the delay. I should probably stop saying I'm going to update at a certain rate if I cannot follow through. I am not on summer vacation so hopefully this will allow for more updates, but it all depends on my work schedule. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy and let me know what you think:)_

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Matthew found Mary in the garden sitting on a bench and as she saw him approach she smiled up at him. Matthew once again was taken aback by her beauty. He did not understand how Mary had such a reaction on him, but all he could feel was the flutter of butterflies in his stomach when she looked at him. In their entire relationship Matthew had never lied to Mary and did not want to start now, not when they had so many other issues in front of them.

Matthew took a seat next to Mary and grabbed her hand so he could hold it in his own. Mary could tell that something was wrong with Matthew by the way he refused to look her properly in the eyes. He sat with his head down and back slumped. Mary began to wonder if Matthew was having doubts and did not want stay with her anymore. She could not understand what else would make Matthew look this way, like he was hiding something.

"Matthew what is it?" asked Mary. He continued to look down into his lap, not acknowledging her question. She turned to fully face him and shook his shoulder so she could grab his whole attention. "I'm sorry I'm just really distracted I guess." Mary wanted to be able to help him as much as possible so she continued to question him, "is there anything I can do to help?" "No I don't think so. Mary there is something I want to tell you, but I don't know how to say it."

As if Mary was not already worried about what Matthew could be thinking, she really began to think that this was the conversation where Matthew was going to tell her he was leaving. Mary truly did love Matthew, but she also understood that they were still very young and she would not blame him for wanting to leave. Children are a huge responsibility and being only nineteen years old did not make it any easier. She believed that bringing him with her this weekend was a mistake. It was probably bringing him to meet her whole family that finally pushed Matthew over the edge.

"It's okay Matthew. I think I know what it is that you're going to say and I understand. I think we were living in a dream thinking we could do this. It is probably best we return to reality. I don't blame you for wanting to reconsider things."

Matthew had to cut Mary short, so that he could dispel what she thought he was thinking with the truth. "Mary I am not thinking about leaving!" Mary was surprised by this, thinking she was so sure that was what Matthew had come to tell her. "Well then what is it that is bothering you?"

"The thing is I had a conversation with your father this morning. First off, he told me not to tell you any of this so please listen to everything I have to say and you cannot let him know I told you."

"Okay please tell me the suspense is killing me."

"Well you see your father offered me a proposition. He wants me to leave you and the baby in exchange for a large sum of money. Now of course I was deeply offended by this and refused him. I just did not want to keep something like this from you. I just really need you to know that I would never have accepted his money. I will always be here for you and the baby."

Mary began to tear up a little for a combination of reasons. Partially because her father had done something so hurtful in attempting to pay Matthew off. Secondly, even when Matthew could have easily walked away and offered a ton of money he still decided to stay! Mary could not contain all the emotions she was feeling. Matthew had proved to Mary once again just how trustworthy he was and that he could not just be persuaded to leave her. She turned to him and gave him a hug. They stayed there like that for a least a couple minutes. Mary did not have to say a word to Matthew for him to understand that she was happy about his decision, but of course hurt by her father.

Both Mary and Matthew returned inside after a while and parted their separate ways again for a brief period of time. Once again they had to prepare to have a conversation with her parents to make their final decisions on what they were going to do. Matthew did not have to prove anything else to show he was in it for the long haul and Lord Grantham would not be able to offer him any sum of money to make it otherwise.


	18. Chapter 18

_So sorry for the delay. It has been a mix of either not having the time or energy as well as writer's block. I hope to be able to update this story more frequently, but who knows these days. Thank you to everyone who has followed/favourited this story. It means so much and I appreciate all the comments! As always I love to hear reviews and what you guys are thinking of the story. So drop a line! _

_p.s. Sorry for the grammar..._

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Mary was sitting alone in her room when she heard a knock and her mother walked into her room. Lady Grantham smiled at her daughter as she approached. "Mary, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a bit?" Mary replied, "Yes of course mother, come and sit down with me." Lady Grantham sat beside Mary on her bed and prepared herself for a difficult discussion.

"Now Mary all of this news has obviously come as quite a shock for the whole family. I think you were obviously not very responsible and smart while you have been at Cambridge. This is something that could really damage our whole family's reputation. I really need you to make some considerations before it is too late. Do you honestly think that Mr. Crawley is the one and is prepared for fatherhood at such a young age?" Mary was not quite sure how to respond to her mother. She did love Matthew, but was this relationship one that would last? For gods sake she had to think for another human being and not just herself.

"Mother, I don't know what to say. I mean I do love Matthew, but who ever knows if someone is ever 'the one'." "That is exactly my point Mary, and although I think the way your father tried to discuss this with Matthew was wrong, but I do believe that you two are rushing into things."

"Well, what else am I supposed to do mother? Run away and leave Matthew? He already knows about the baby and it is his choice if he wants to be a part of the child's life." Mary was not really sure what else her mother could be suggesting. Matthew had been responsible so far, not shirking any of his responsibility. Was that not something to consider. The sad thing was, was that Mary did love Matthew and did not want any of this for him. She didn't want to make his life anymore difficult than it needed to be.

"Mary, I think I may have an idea that would be best for you, Matthew and the baby. It is still very early on in the pregnancy and you have not begun to show. There are many eligible bachelor that would be willing to accept this child as their own if they were to secure you as their wife." Mary was shocked as to what was coming out of her mother's mouth. Was she serious? "If you were to marry well, it would not be a scandal to be having a child to young and out of wedlock. This way Matthew can go back to Cambridge and get a proper education just as he always planned."

"Let's just say I do agree to doing this, I do not expect Matthew will take it well if I just go and run off with some aristocrat. There is also the issue of parental rights. He is the father and will legally have access to our child."

"Mary, what I am trying to get you to do, is to lead Matthew to believe that there is no longer a child. It is not uncommon for women for have miscarriages early on in their pregnancy. If there is no longer a child, Matthew will not feel obligated to stay and we can still try to save our family's reputation. I know this is a difficult decision, but I need you to think of your whole family."

"Mama, I don't know if I can deceive Matthew like that. I still love him."

"I am not going to lie Mary, it will be difficult at first, but I think that in the long run you and your child will be much better off. So if you could just think about it before we get together this afternoon. I will not say anything to anyone else if you decide not to go through with it and it will be our secret. If you do decide to go this route we will begin plans as soon as possible."

"Okay Mama, I think I need to be alone for a little while."

"Of course, I shall see you at dinner." Cora grabbed Mary's hand and squeezed it to reassure her that she was there for Mary. This conversation with her mother only confused Mary more than ever. She was so sure of herself just a few hours ago, thinking that everything had been worked out. Now everything had just been mixed up again. Mary did not know how to start thinking about this and how she would reach a decision. Mary decided she would take a nap before dinner, hoping to wake up with some clarity.

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Thanks again for reading:)


	19. Chapter 19

_An update so soon, who would've thought! After a couple comments on the last chapter I wanted to make sure that you didn't hate me for too long. So hopefully this makes most people happy. What I have been trying to do over the last few chapters is to make sure that Mary feels secure in her decision. I did not want to take this an obvious story where everything goes smoothly. But since myself and others are upset about the S3 finale I would not dare leaving this story without a happily ever after. So fear not! There will be bumps and curve balls, but just got with the flow._

_Also, since I had such a long break between chapter 17 and 18 I just want to make sure that people are still interested in the story. So let me know if this is something I should continue or just wrap it up ASAP._

_Thanks again:)_

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Mary awoke from her nap feeling well rested and less confused than before. Everyone had been pulling her in different directions. Her father wanted to pay Matthew off, her mother wanted her to lie to Matthew, and Matthew just wanted to do everything and anything he could do for her.

It should be a pretty simple decision for most people, but everything was becoming more complicated by the hour. Mary had finally decided what she had to do. After being pulled every which way she knew she had to make her decision known to everyone.

Some might say she is naïve and too young to deal with what she has been handed, but Mary has always been a strong person. When she was confronted with problems in the past she faced them head on and did not second guess herself.

Of course there were others to worry about now though. Her child, Matthew and her whole family would be changed by her decision. She got changed into her dinner attire and prepared to face Matthew and her family.

Mary descended the stairs in a full-length red dress that accented all her curves. Matthew was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs and was left breathless from her beauty. He grabbed one of her hands and kissed the top of it, as well as complimenting her on her attire, but only loud enough for Mary's ear to hear.

The two walked together into the dining room, but were seated across from each other. Dinner continued as it usually did with Lord Grantham discussing the cottages and Lady Grantham and the Dowager Countess discussing the latest London gossip.

It was not until towards the end of dinner that Mary had gotten enough courage to finally address everyone. She cleared her throat and made it known to the whole table that she needed their attention. Everyone stopped their conversations at once and waited for her to proceed.

"As you probably all know Matthew and I have been faced with quite a difficult situation. None of this is something we wanted or expected, but it is nonetheless something that must be taken care. Since dinner last night I have discussed the issue with Mama and Matthew separately and Papa, I know you talked with Matthew. After hearing all the alternatives I believe that I have finally come to a decision. Unfortunately, Mama I will not be taking your advice and Papa, seeing as Matthew is still seated at this table I assume he has not taken you up on your offer.

This leaves me to tell you all that I will not only be keeping this baby, but I am also going to stay with Matthew and try and make things work. We both understand that this is going to be difficult, but I do think there is a point in trying to work together."

Mary finally took a break to gather all her thoughts, as well as wait for everyone to step in with their own two cents.

It was Lord Grantham who spoke first, "Mary, I cannot stand by and let you do this. To throw your whole life away on some young love! I cannot support this, I just cannot! If you want to raise this child with Matthew then you must do so on your own. I meant it…nothing. There will be no financial support from us, including Cambridge…if you even went back that is! After all the things I have done for you and your sisters you will be no better than if you were a part of the working class."

"Well Papa if that is what you have to do then I must accept it. But I cannot just leave Matthew out of this. Matthew has made it very clear on numerous occasions that he supports me in all the decisions I make regarding this child and that he is prepared to help support me and the child so that we can be a family. So, if you are unwilling to get past this I do not want to be a burden to you any longer. Matthew and I will pack our belongings and return to Cambridge immediately. If you could be so kind as to inform your driver that we need a lift to the train station that would be much appreciated."

Matthew stood up from his seat and walked over to where Mary was. He still had not said anything, but he didn't really need to. As he stood next to her he showed Mary and the rest of her family that he was ready to stand by her through thick and thin. He wrapped his arm around her arm as they left the dining room for their bedrooms. He did not see the need for niceties anymore so he did not properly excuse himself from Lord Grantham.

Outside Mary's bedroom Matthew stood in front of her holding her around the waist. He assured her that she made the right decision. She looked up into his bright blue eyes and found peace. When she saw him like this she did not feel scared or worried about the future because in his arms she always felt safe. Mary thought of the child growing within her and up at Matthew again and thought, "we are safe."


	20. Chapter 20

_Very short, I know. I'm sorry, but I just have not had much inspiration or motivation lately. I do hope to post again soon and hopefully some ideas will pop into my head!_

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Mary woke up with a strange feeling in her stomach. It felt as though there were bubbles inside of her or some kind of fluttering. For Mary, this was the first real sign of her pregnancy. She did not suffer from any morning sickness and did not have any strange cravings yet. She placed her hands over her slightly rounded stomach to see if she could feel anything from the outside. There was only the slightest of motions that could be felt from the outside. Mary turned to Matthew in bed and shook him awake.

"Matthew, wake up! Quickly!" Matthew woke up startled expecting the worst.

"Are you all right? Is everything okay? Is it the baby?"

Mary had not meant to startle him so she quickly settled him down before he had a heart attack.

"No Matthew everything is fine! Don't worry, I just wanted to tell you that I can feel the baby fluttering around. You might be able to feel it a tiny bit if you put your hand on my stomach!"

"Really, its so early on?" Mary took one of Matthew's hands and placed it on her. "Look you can feel for yourself."

Matthew was amazed by what happened. Although it was very faint he could feel something was moving moving beneath his hand. For Matthew, this was also the first clear sign that Mary was indeed pregnant. Matthew could only smile back at Mary and leaned in to give her a simple peck on the lips. Mary had other intentions though. As Matthew began to pull away she grabbed the back of his head to prolong the kiss. After a few minutes Matthew was finally able to break free from kissing Mary.

Surprisingly, Matthew and Mary had remained quite strong all through the pregnancy so far. Only little bits of bickering, but nothing that had put any strain on their relationship. Both had agreed that it was very important to get their education. So for now Mary would finish out the school year and have the baby shortly afterwards and would most likely take a year away from school. Matthew would stay in school even after the baby was born. Isobel, Matthew's mother had moved to Cambridge so that she could be close to help Mary once the baby was born. Isobel had offered for Mary and Matthew to live with her, but they decided to wait until the end of the school year when their residence contract was up. This also allowed them to have some much needed privacy before the baby arrived.

Even though Mary was remaining at Cambridge for the winter semester she decided to take a lighter course load so that she did become overly stressed or anxious. Mary was only at the end of her first trimester so she wanted to make sure things could remain as peaceful as possible considering that life would become more and more difficult to manage as the pregnancy proceeded.

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please let me know what you think!


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